Pakistan tops recoveries in worst-hit South Asia states
16:30, 21/04/2020, Tuesday
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A health worker wearing a protective gear checks a girl's temperature, at the walk-through screening and testing facility for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Karachi, Pakistan April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
India leads in number of tests, overall case count in SAARC countries nears 33,000, deaths close to 1,000
Pakistan has the highest percentage of recoveries to cases among South Asian countries with over 1,000 COVID-19 patients, while India leads in number of tests and confirmed cases.
According to data from online resource Worldometer, the overall case count in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states reached 32,692 on Monday.
A total of 2,354 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours, mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
The death toll rose by 61 to 937, while total recoveries stood at 5,681.
Only India (18,658), Pakistan (9,216), Bangladesh (3,382), and Afghanistan have more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases so far.
Of these four countries, Pakistan has the highest percentage – around 22.5% – of recoveries to cases, as 2,066 of its total patients have recovered so far.
It is followed by India, where 3,273 patients – around 17.5% – have recovered, and Afghanistan, where 135 – around 13% – patients been discharged from hospitals.
Bangladesh’s rate is around 2.5% as only 87 of its nearly 3,400 COVID-19 patients have recovered.
With 401,586 tests, India leads the charts in terms of tests conducted, followed by Pakistan (111,806), Bangladesh (29,574), Nepal (29,567), and Bhutan (8,765).
Nepal and Bhutan have the lowest percentage of confirmed cases to tests conducted – 0.10% people have tested positive in Nepal and 0.06% in Bhutan.
The COVID-19 situation in SAARC countries as of Monday:
Country name Total cases New cases Total deaths New deaths Recovered Total tests
India 18,658 1,043 592 33 3,273 401,586
Pakistan 9,216 796 192 16 2,066 111,806
Bangladesh 3,382 434 110 9 87 29,574
Sri Lanka 304 33 7 0 98 6,463
Afghanistan 1,026 30 36 3 135 6,422
Nepal 31 0 0 0 4 29,567
Bhutan 6 1 2 8,765
Maldives 69 17 0 0 16 4,129
TOTAL 32,692 2,354 937 61 5,681 598,312
India 18,658 1,043 592 33 3,273 401,586
Pakistan 9,216 796 192 16 2,066 111,806
Bangladesh 3,382 434 110 9 87 29,574
Sri Lanka 304 33 7 0 98 6,463
Afghanistan 1,026 30 36 3 135 6,422
Nepal 31 0 0 0 4 29,567
Bhutan 6 1 2 8,765
Maldives 69 17 0 0 16 4,129
TOTAL 32,692 2,354 937 61 5,681 598,312
Source: Worldometer
India, so far the worst-hit country in the SAARC region, reported 1,043 new cases and 33 new deaths.
Meanwhile, Muslim organizations in India have asked the country’s over 200 million Muslims to pray at home and avoid gatherings in the holy month of Ramadan.
Pakistan was second with nearly 800 new cases in a single day, a record high for the country, and 16 fatalities that raised its death toll to 192.
Bangladesh reported 434 new cases and nine fatalities, while Afghanistan had 30 new cases and three deaths.
Nepal had no new case or fatality, while Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka had new cases but no deaths.
*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid